Improvement in reed-organs



M. 1. MATTHEWS.

Reed-Organs.

PatentedMarch10.1874 f Mmmm mkw'aem @un N911 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MASON J. MATTI-IEVS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letieis Patent No. 148,481, dated March l0, 1874; application filed June 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mason J. MAT'rnEws, ot the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specilication:

The invention relates mainly to reed-instruments, generally known as reed-organs, cabinet-organs, &c. 5 but a portion maybe applied independently of the reeds and their blowing or exhaustin g means.

I have successfully combined with a reedorgan a peculiarmodification of an instrument known bythe name harmonicon,77 so as to give facilities for producing sounds not dependent upon the wind, but upon the blow of a hamnier.

I have, further, so arranged the vibratory strips or harmonicon-bars that no lengthening of keys nor enlargement of case is necessary, and so that a simple percussion action, connected with the keys, may operate them.

I also arrange said vibratory strips so that they occupy no more width in the instrument than the range ot' the keys.

I also arrange the several parts constituting the modiication ot' harmonicon, together with the percussion action and keys, so that they can be used as an instrument independent of the reeds.

I have also made several important im provements in the passages and parts relating to the reeds and connections, so as to provide means for producing pleasin g variety and much power of tone in the smallest possible compass.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ot' carrying out the invention.

The accompanying' drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a vertical section et' the upper portion of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a horizontal. section through the upper wind-chest, with a view of the tremolo-valve and the adjacent parts, and the connected stop-valve box. Fig. l represents some of the harmonicon-bars and their connections detached. These parts are represented n plan view, and show distinctly how the lower set projects out beyond the upper set, so that both sets are properly presented to be acted on by the several hammers.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures.

The wind-chest I3, tube-board E, and keyframe c2 are of ordinary construction. The case and all the other parts may be of ordinary construction and arrangement, except in such particulars as are hereinafter specified. The chest 0, above the keys, possesses a number of novel features. The part O1, in which the reeds are inserted, resembles an ordinary tubeboard, except that there are holes r2 r3 cut opposite what may be called the outer surface of the reeds. This tube-board Ol is glued to a chamber-board or ehannelboard,"o, one inch, more or less, in thickness at the bass end, and quite thin at the treble end. In the under side of this chamber-board, to which the tube-board O1 is glued, are cut openings o' r1 directly opposite the vibrator-y parts ot the reeds, but the openings p p1 into the wind-chest reach beyond the heels of the reeds. The distance ot' the holes o" r1 p p1 from each other, and the length and depth of the chambers p2 and p between them, are determined by the pitches of the notes connected therewith. Deep bassnotes will do with such chambers and openings as are shown;v but the notes toward the extreme treble require less-in fact, but a very little passage. The sound from the reed, by being drawn into the confined air in the chainbers p2 p3, and being caused to travel some little distance b ei'ore reaching the less-eonned space in the wind-chest O2, loses much of its natural roughness, gathers form, and is made smooth and full and agreeable to the ear. On the lower face of the openings r2 r3 are seated the pallets o1, connecting, through the niedium of tracker-pins o2, with levers S, mounted on, or rather in, the keys (l. Each pallet ol, with tracker-pin attached, is of such weight as to fall by its own gravity, being guided in its upward and downward movement by a pin at each end, and by the action of the tracker-pin on the guide-rail o4, which is fastened to the tube-board by blocks. The levers S are centered in grooves cut on the keys C, and are held down at the back by springs s. The front ends ot' these levers S hold the pallets ol to their seats. In front of the fulerum-pin rail of the key-frame o2 is a rail, s1, in which are inserted fixed pegs s?, which stand in larger holes through the keys G, and almost touch the lower faces ofthe back ends ot' the levers S.

It will be seen that when a key, C, is depressed, and the lever S is tilted by its contact with the peg s2, the movement ot' the lever S at its center and the movement ot' the key C at the same point being equal, the front end ot' the lever S will have a larger movement than the key at a corresponding point. This arrangement provides for the pallets e1 falling far enough from their seats to allow ot the iree act-ion ot the air on the reeds. It is important to leave enough play between the pegs al and the levers S, when the key C comes t0 rest, to allow the spring s always to drive the pallets to their seats, irrespective otl any slight maladjustment ot' the keys.

The upper chest O contains two sets ot' reeds, which are controlled by a novel stop-action. lt is usual, in America-n organs, to have long valves extending over the mouths otl a long series ot' tubes, in which the reeds are inserted. l'n my instrument the mouths ot' the tubes in the upper chest are kept closed, and the interiors ofthe tubes open upward into the windchest, which is peculiarly partitioned and connected.

ln Fig. 2,the inside ot the wind-chest O2 is shown. The partitions lV lll divide the windchest into four chambers, each connected with i'our corresponding chambers in the stop-valve box X, so that single valves in the stop-valve box, one in each chamber, may tightly close the connection from the several corresponding chambers in the wind-chest, and, Consequently, the speaking of the several reeds in the four sets in which the reeds are divided. A portion, XY', ot' the partitions is very wide and at't'ords room for liberal openings uf, which extend through the entire wind-chest, being open at the bottom into the swell-tray o, and are open at the top to allow the sound to escape i'reely into the atn'iosphere, except when they are closed by the swell-lids u operated by suitable stops. The dotted lilies show the position ot' the series ot' holes communicating with the reeds. At the back ot` this windchest O2 is the stop-valve box X, with live valves in it marked, respectively, 12 t* if* 1,5. The valve 11 covers an opening communicating with the main wind-chest B through a hole or holes at the toot ot the box X. The valve t? similarly covers another opening, and so ot' the valves t* and The valve i. covers an opening communicating with the under side ot' the tremolo-valve. he iive valves are opened by tive stop-draws,.r, through the medium of studs 4r, wedge-shaped pieces .ft-8, push-pins m7, and three-armed levers ai. They are closed, respectively, by the grasshoppersprings afl. The upper end ot` each three-armed lever x3 works in an eye in the corresponding valve. This eye is a little larger than the lever passing through it, in order to secure the certain bedding ot' the front arm on the under side et the block x2, so to prevent .leak through the pin-holes. lVhen the valve tl is opened the front bass-reeds will speak. Then the valve 'l5 is opened the `front treblereeds will speak. lVhen the valve t2 is opened the back bass-reeds will speak. lYhen the valve t" is opened the back treble-reeds will speak. ,\Vlien the valve 1f is opened and t* is closed the tremolo will operate. The wind in each case is drawn toward the valves in the direction et' the arrows. the upper chest O is a tray, o, which has sides iitting closely to the under face ot' the chamber-board o3 on all sides. This tray o rests on the key-blocks cl at each end of the instrument, and is kept in place by one or more dowels at each end. In the iloor ot' the tray 0 is cut an opening, which is nearly tilled up the guiderail 0*. The stop-valve box X is irmly fixed to the chest O, and also at the l'oot and back to a stout block, whiehis in turn hinged to the wind-chest l. This provides for the opening` up of the top chest 0 from the tray 0, and gives access to the reeds and pallets. lVhen access is desired to the keys (l and levers S, the tray 0 is to be lit'ted oit from the dowels. Below the main wind-chest B, on the reservoir support-board, are mounted sets ot' sonorous bars G', adapted to be struck and sounded either in connection with the reeds or separately. G is a tapering box. rl`he two sides, marked g [/1, are wide apart at the bass, and approach toward the treble. (')n the upper edge ot' each side lies a cord. The sonorous bars or vibrators G rest at their proper nodal points on. these cords, and are held in their proper place by pins inserted through holes just outside the nodes ot' the vibrators. So i`ar this description ot' the sonorous bars and their adjuncts relates tothe parts resembling the ordinary harmonicon. The width ot' these bars G is too great to allow them to be mountedin the ordinary way to be operated by the keys. I therefore provide two layers, one over the other, with the exception that the lower layer reaches l'orward beyond the upper layer about halt an inch. This arrangement reduces the width or compass otA the vibrators to the compass ot' the keys, and thus makes provision l'or the application ol' a simple percussion action. Behind and to thetaperi11g-shaped box, tix an additional board, g2, the upper edge oli' which reacties above the irstset ot' vibrators. Ou this board f/2 l tirmly tasten a tapering frame, ,f/g. (See 3.) The back rail otl this trame g is made wide enough to allow the vibrators G', lying on it, to reach suiiiciently forward. lt is imptn'tant that the two layers ot' vibrators should be as near to each other as possible. The traine x,' is made thin, which renders it advisable that the i'ront rail of the i'rame should have some support toward its center, as well as at each ot' its ends. l theretore bend some ot' the pins y", which are driven into the side g, so that the i'ront rail rests on them. The upper layer ot' vilnators lie on cords, and are held in position in precisely the same way as the lower layer. This arrangement ot' this part ot' the instrument renders Un the lower side oi.'

`necessary a peculiar striking action. In ordinary cases where a percussion action is used, whether in pianos or harmonicons, the ha1nmers strike either upward or forward. In my instrumel'it they strike downward. ,Each hammer-head b2 is oi'"wood, with a rubber face or tire, and is attached to a shank, b1, which is glued into the corresponding hammer-butt b. These butts b are centered into the forks or hinge-pieces a, which in turn are fastened to the strip a, which extends through the coinpass ot the vibrators.' J is one of a series of hoppers or jacks, each formed of two pieces ot' wood hinged together. rlhe lower or wedgeshaped part, which I call the tail, is centered into the forked and lower end of the upper part, which I call the head, and the spring a3 keeps the tail oi' the jack pressed against the inclined face of the button or nut on the regulating-screw a2.

When the key C is pressed down the correspondin g j ack J is depressed. It strikes a shoulder formed on the ham1ner-butt b, but it is caused to slip off instantaneously by the movement of the sloped tail of the jack on the regulator c2, and t-hus escapement is effected. The combined action of the hoppersprings c3, the springsj on the under side of the key-frame c2, and the weighted butts, secure the immediate return of the jacks .I and hammers b2 to their normal position, so that they are always ready to repeat their action. Iiirmly fastened into the lower part of each jack-head is a guide-rod, c4, which, passing through holes bushed with cloth in the guide-piece a5, guides the upward and downward movement of the hoppers. I provide below the percussion a set of dampers, d, to check the sound of the vibrators simultaneously with the rising of the keys. Each damper consists et' a lever with a wire arm suitably bent. On the outer and heavier end ot' each of these wires is fixed a patch of soft lelt, cloth, or lea ther, which serves as a damper by being held up against its corresponding vibrator by the weight of the loaded hammerbutt b resting on the lighter end oi' the damperlever d.

It will be understood that simultaneously with or a little previous to the blow ofthe hammer, there must be a temporary removal of the dampers from the vibrators in order to allow the bars to sound. Vhile the key C is held depressed, it is important to prevent the hammer l;2 from movingI quite back to its bed, and thus to prevent the damper from touching the vibrator until the key is released. For this purpose a patch is provided on the shank b1 ot' the hammer b2, so that the tail of the jack, on its escapement from the shoulder on the hannnerbutt b, will rest on the patch so as to allow the hammer b2 to rise from the vibrator just enough to allow its sounding, butnot tails by any good mechanic. Proper stop-connections may beA variously arranged to throw the whole or any part into or out of action at will. The bars and the connected actions for striking them maybe worked alone without the reeds, and the instrument may be quite effective when formed with these parts only connected to the keys, the reeds and blowing means being entirely omitted. I propose to make cheap instruments in this manner.

The upper portion may be held down firmly upon the lower main portion by the ordinary l1armonicon-hooks, or by any other convenient means.

Instead of the front of the swell-tray o reaching' up to the top of the wind-chest 02, it may be cut off so that the height of the swell-tray shall be equal at all its sides, and the windchest O2 may be enlarged so as to entirely cover it. A molding may be put on the front of the chest, so as to make a pleasing iinish.

There the tremolo is not required, it may be desirable to have a separate double trunk (with front and back compartment) to each stop, and to set them at a distance from each other.

A modification of this same stop-action may be used in the ordinary windchest. Y

Instead of arranging the sonorous bars or vibrators in two layers, they may be arranged in three or more. Instead of placing them in the exact position shown, they maybe placed in other parts of the instrument, provided suit able connections are made from the keys to opcrate them.

Instead of bending some ot' the pins which are driven into the box G, the front of the frame might be made wide enough to reach over the straight pins.

The parts of the percussion action, as also of many other portions ofthe instrument, may be attached to each other to facilitate their re moval from the instrument when necessary.

When in any case it may be important to greatly economize room, the sounding bars may be brought nearly up to the under side of the wind-chest B by suiciently shortening the members of the percussion action and cutting away a part of the wind-chest and reversing the position of the valves therein. I propose to set this forth more fully in another application for patent.

I claim as my inventionl. The wind-chest O2, divided into separat-e chambers by partitions W W', in combination with sets of reeds communicating with the several chambers and with a correspondingly-dh vided stop-valve box and valves, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. The partitions XV, having vertical passages fw, in combination with corresponding' perforated upper and lower boards of the windchest to allow the sound to pass through the wind-chest, and to be controlled by the top swell, as specified.

3. The reversed double pallets 0l, arranged,

as shown, relatively to the top chest O, in coinbination with operating means worked by the keys C, as herein speeied.

et. The levers S, keys C, pallets ol, and pegs S2, relatively arranged as described, so as to give a wide opening to the pallets 01, as herein specified.

5. rlhe chambers 192193 in the chamber-board o3, arranged relatively to the reeds in the tubeboard Ol and suction wind-chest O2, as and for the purposes herein specified.

6. In a reed-instrument, the three-armed levers w3, in combination with the grasshoppersprings w1, stop-valves t1 t2 t3 t* t5, pins, stopdraws, and connect-ions, as specified.

7. In a reed-instrument having soundingbars, the overbalanced hammers b2, in combination with the keys C and intermediate mechanism, as herein specified.

8. rlhe sonorous or vibratory bars G', ar-

ranged in two series, one projecting beyond the other, in combination with the supportboards g g1 g2, and frame g3, as herein specified.

9. rIhe dampers (I, in combination with the bars G and hammers b1 b2, when constructed and arranged as herein specitied.

l0. The jacks J and springs j, in combination with the guide-blocks a5 and the keys and hammer-butts, as herein specified.

1l. The swell-tray 0, arranged, as shown, relatively to the movable reed-chest O, and resting on the key-blocks el to allow access to the mechanism below, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of June, 1873, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MASON J. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

War. C. DRY, ALF. G. \\"ns'rimooi 

